Golf is a sport in which mastery of several skills are necessary in order to play successfully. For example, a more successful player is able to strike a golf ball with accuracy and with a sufficient amount of force so that the golf ball travels to the intended target. This is especially important during the initial drive of the golf ball. It is preferable to strike the golf ball using a center portion of a golf club head, which is generally referred to as the “sweet spot”.
A golf ball will generally travel further when contact is made with the golf club head along the sweet spot. Making contact with the sweet spot, however, has been a source of frustration for many golfers. More particularly, an off center hit may cause the golf ball to travel a shorter distance, and in some cases, may cause the golf ball to veer off course, i.e., hook or slice.
An example of one type of golf club that attempts to compensate for off center hits is illustrated in U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 35,955 to Lu. The Lu golf club includes a golf club head having an insert with a deflectable striking member for striking the golf ball, and a corresponding element for supporting the deflectable striking member. This configuration, however, may be disadvantageous due to its complicated construction. Further, the configuration may add weight to the golf club head, causing the golfer to exert more force when swinging the golf club.
Other such golf clubs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,390,932 and 5,672,120 to Kosmatka et al. and Ramirez et al., respectively. The Kosmatka et al. golf club includes a thin polymer coating over the striking face. Although the thick polymer coating is likely to be beneficial in protecting the striking face of the golf club, it may not be sufficient to compensate for off center hits. The Ramirez et al. golf club head includes a continuous fiber reinforced outer shell covering a core. This configuration, however, may make the golf club head quite cumbersome and somewhat heavy.